Mixed Chicks Chat

2nd Annual AFAAD Gathering for adult Adoptees and Foster Care alumni of African descent

Dear adoptee friends and family, and supporters of AFAAD,

It's time for the 2nd Annual AFAAD Gathering for adult Adoptees and Foster Care alumni of African descent on November 6-8th, 2009.
There will also be a youth session and an event on Friday open to the public.

 AFAAD has put out an international call for sessions and announcement for our 2nd Annual Gathering.
Adult adoptees and foster care alums of African descent (black, mixed, african, caribbean, afrolatin, afroasian) everywhere are invited.
The press release information is inserted below and a press release, call for sessions and registration forms are all attached.  All of the information about the Gathering, and the full-length call for sessions is available on the website:

http://afaad.wordpress.com/2nd-annual-gathering/

AFAAD is also looking for donations, sponsors, volunteers and collaborators!! Please email for info. They appreciate the support!

Blended Nation portraits of Multiracial People: Launch Parties S.F. and L.A.

Celebrate the launch of Blended Nation, a gorgeous book of portraits of multiracial people, with photographs and interviews by Mike Tauber and co-produced with Pamela Singh. 

The Forward is written by Ann Curry and one of our favorite  people, Rebecca Walker, has written the introduction. 

"Through words and images, Mike Tauber and Pamela Singh explore the concepts
of race and ethnicity in America through the prism of the very personal
experiences of people of mixed-race heritage."

San Francisco come join the fun:
June 4, 6pm-8pm
Le Colonial
20 Cosmo Place
San Francisco

Los Angeles come join the fun:  (a great way to start of the weekend's Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival celebration)
June 11, 7pm-9pm
Duncan Miler Gallery
Culver City

RSVP to adrianne(at)channelphotographics.com

Mike and Pamela will be displaying their work and selling the book at the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival! 

Special Screening Crossing the Line: Multiracial Comedians Oct. 26, 2008 in Southern California

Crossing the Line: Multiracial Comedians
Sunday, October 26th
5pm – 9pm
Vinoteque, a Wine Bar
4437 Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230

Join MASC for a night of wines, gourmet food and socializing as we screen a relevant film that takes an honest look at the changing face of America in a way that can only be achieved through comedy. Laughter and progressive, stimulating thoughts and discussion guaranteed!

$5 suggested donation for non-members, free for members

For more information on the film, visit www.EntertainingDiversity.com/CrossingTheLine

1st Annual Gathering for Adoptees and Foster Care Alums of African Descent:

1st Annual Gathering for Adoptees and Foster Care Alums of African Descent:
Healing Ourselves, Making Connections

November 7-9, 2008

Announcing the 1st annual gathering of adoptees (transracial/international and same race) and foster care alums of African descent in Oakland, California, November 7-9, 2008.

AFAAD (Adopted and Fostered Adults of the African Diaspora) was formed specifically to support adopted and fostered people, to share our common and divergent experiences around race, adoption, joy, loss, family, search and reunion, and self identity and to celebrate our unique creativity, stories and community. AFAAD’s First Annual Gathering, Healing Ourselves, Making Connections is designed with you mind.
The purpose of this historic gathering will be to make connections, network, provide healing space, and to celebrate the diversity of our amazing diaspora of transracial, international, domestic adoptees and foster care alums. AFAAD uses “Black” in the widest diasporic sense, which includes African, African American, Afroasian and Afrolatino, bi-racial and multi heritage peoples. Healing Ourselves, Making Connections is the first of its kind for Black adoptees and foster adults and we know it will make a huge contribution to the conversations about adoption, race, social welfare and African diasporic identity - not to mention just bringing all of us together in one space is going to be amazing! It is time to share our stories with one another, rather than always teaching other people. We will also take some time for the strategic planning for the long-term goals of AFAAD as a social justice and community support organization.

Where:
AFAAD’s 2008 Gathering is being hosted by the City Center Marriott Hotel ideally situated at the center of downtown Oakland, CA, close to all forms of public transportation. Call 510-451-4000 for hotel reservations. Individuals visiting the Bay Area must make their own hotel reservations separately from AFAAD Gathering registration.

Please see the website for more details about the Gathering schedule, call for sessions, hotel and conference registration information and for more information about our mission, community and legislative advocacy work.

Contact Info:
AFAAD – Adopted and Fostered Adults of the African Diaspora
PO Box 24771
Oakland, CA  94607
E-mail: afaadinfo@gmail.com
Website: afaad.wordpress.com
Phone: 510.836.0133

Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival is Social Justice at Work!

Congratulations to the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival the recipient of a grant from Social Justice Works! The Aaronson Fund!  The Fund was "created to honor the legacy of progressive education, to salute those who are continuing the struggle for a just and equitable society, and to provide financial support for high school graduates of the Cambridge Public Schools who are working for social justice in a variety of fields."

"The Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival clearly honors the legacy of progressive education and a commitment to the struggle for a just and equitable society." 

This honor is an incredible buoy in our continuing effort to encourage storytelling of the Mixed experience.  We hope that people will begin to understand that what we advocate is not the privileged or "magical" position of biracial people in America, but rather the connectedness of all people.  When we no longer silence the stories of the Mixed experience, we learn about all the commonalities we share. 

When we say Mixed experience, we are talking about YOU--whether that means you are in a blended family through adoption, marriage, or re-marriage.  It means YOU if you have an intercultural family (yes, Vietnamese and Chinese blend counts).  It means YOU if you have a background so blended, the blend has been forgotten.  The Mixed experience means all of YOU, us together.

The Festival's talented and esteemed co-founder and co-producer, Fanshen Cox, a graduate of the Cambridge Public School system, will receive the award at a ceremony hosted by Matt Damon in September.  Whoo hoo! 

The Second Annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival will be held June 12-13, 2009, at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.  To learn more and/or to donate to this non-profit project please visit: www.mixedrootsfilmandliteraryfestival.org.

Senior Project on Biracial People: Please Respond

Wilmington University student, Ciara L. is doing her senior project on Bi-racial people. She is African American and her husband is Irish. Here's what she has to say about the project: "I choose the topic not only because my children will be bi-racial but it will also prepare me and help me understand some of the things that they might go through. I found your organization on the internet and was wondering if it was possible to get 30 or more people who are of mixed race to participate in my research survey. All they would have to do is answer 6 short questions about how they identify with their races and some of the things that they may have encountered throughout their growing process. I can e-mail you the survey and you may give the participant my e-mail address and have them e-mail it back to me at cleisey08@yahoo.com."  We hope you'll help her out!  Best of luck Ciara.

Survey Questions

1. Are you Bi-racial? ________________

(If no, please stop here.)

2. If yes what are your ethnicities?

_____________________________________________

3. Growing up did you have difficulties with any of the

following; (please check all that apply)

o People asking what race are you

o Choosing friends

o Social Stigmas

o Issues with Family acceptance

o Issues with Social acceptance

4. Have you experienced some of those issues as an adult? Yes or

No

5. Do you feel that those issues helped you become a stronger

person and even more proud of your heritages? Yes or No

6. Please List any additional issues you have had to deal with

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

Amy Hodgepodge Readings in Los Angeles

Don't miss the Amy Hodgepodge readings with authors Kim Wayans and Kevin Knotts in August and September in the Los Angeles Public Libraries.  Amy Hodpodge also has a new revamped website where you can play games and learn more about the book series about this charming multiracial and multicultural girl.  The complete reading schedule appears below:

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 11th at 3pm Echo Park Branch Library 1410 W. Temple Street (213) 250-7808

Tuesday, August 12th at 3pm Baldwin Hills Branch Library 2906 S. LaBrea Avenue (323) 733-1196

Sunday, September 21st at 2pm Central Library KLOS Theatre (2nd floor) 630 West Fifth Street Downtown, Los Angeles(213) 228-7000

These events will also be posted to Kim Wayan's myspace page (myspace.com/kimwayans). 

Eric Andre: Biracial Comedian Performs July 26 in NYC

Don't miss Eric Andre at Death By Audio, Saturday July 26, 2008, at 10 pm. The name of the show is Duh Air Ache On Dre Shoe. Location: 49 S 2nd Street in Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY, USA. It's gonna be a little wild and crazy comedy talk show.  You can hear more about Eric on Episode 59.

Mixed Chicks Chat in San Francisco Chronicle: Obama & the Mocha Baby Nod

Maybe "mocha baby nod" will enter into the popular lexicon . . . now that it's in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Los Angeles writer Heidi Durrow forms half of a podcasting duo dubbed Mixed Chicks Chat. She and other biracial friends have been thrilled to watch Obama lead Americans into a conversation about the complexity of racial identity.
"We're proud," she said. "We give each other the 'mocha baby' nod, the acknowledgement that you're multiracial and so am I and we're excited about this. ... I grew up being inexplicable because I insisted on being both African American and Danish."

Read the full story: "Obama Raises Profile of Mixed-Race Americans." 

Sundee Frazier on the Today Show with Al Roker

Guys, don't miss children's book author Sundee Frazier on the Today show Friday, July 11.  She'll be on the show talking about her amazing children's book Brendan Buckley's Universe And Everything in It featuring a biracial protagonist!  The Today show segment will feature Sundee talking with five young readers of her book.  We are so proud of Sundee, a featured guest at the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival last month.